The Promise
by Star24
Summary: Something that might happen someday...M/L


**The Promise by Star24**

_Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are property and copyright Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24._

_A short vignette that could take place sometime in the DA future…_

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * 

It was cold on top of the Space Needle. An occasional gust of wind wrapped around the two who stood on the top of the monolithic icon of Seattle's past glories.  Down below entire segments of the sprawling city lay dark. A few sections, most notably the former downtown area now known as the high rise district, somehow managed to display brightly twinkling lights, a tribute to their residents' influence with the corrupt institution known as Seattle's city government.

The two observers were well aware of the threads of greed and corruption that interwove the daily lives of all of Seattle's residents. Threads exemplified so clearly by such a simple thing as the distribution of available power and light on this cold and gloomy night.  He had dedicated the past years of his life to fighting the power; always striving to provide a voice to those rendered powerless and voiceless in the broken world that Seattle was one small outpost of. She was one of those faceless numbers, although in her case it was deliberate, an attempt to escape her dark past and those who would pull her back into it.

They had come together by chance and stayed together by choice as he convinced her to use her unique abilities to aid him in his crusades. Over time their initially uneasy working partnership had evolved into something more. 

"I used to stand in my windows and look out at the Needle at night, you know. Before I knew you, or knew that you came up here," he observed idly.

"I used to look out at the lights in your sector, even in your building, and wonder about the people who lived there. About what it was like to live that lifestyle." She said in her turn.

"And then you found out firsthand." He chuckled.

"I wouldn't exactly call you the poster child for the the privileged class," she retorted.

"More like the black sheep?" He smiled, not offended at all.

"Maybe so." She returned his smile.

They stood for a moment more looking out, each lost in their thoughts. Then he turned to her.  "So are we gonna do this thing or not? 'Cause if we are I'd like to get it done and get down from here. You know that heights aren't exactly my thing."

She laughed softly, "I know." She took a breath and turned to face him. "So let's do it then."

They turned to face each other and he reached out to take her hands in his. Looking down at her he said simply,

"Max Guevara, I love you for everything you are, with everything that I am and ever will be; with my mind and my heart and my body. I promise to be there with you and for you, as long as there's a single breath left in my body. No matter what."

Max sucked in a breath as the impact of his words, and of what they were doing, hit her like a punch in the gut. She met his eyes steadily and before he could panic at her hesitation, she replied softly, 

"Logan Cale, I love you in every way that I can. I love your strength and intelligence and caring. My mind and heart and body are yours for as long as I live. I'll always have your back. No matter what."

Words spoken the two stood looking at each other, eyes locked, as the import of what they were doing hit them. Neither one knew who moved first, but within seconds they were in each others arms as they sealed their promises with a long, deep kiss. 

"Wow." She said when she pulled back from him. "We did it."

He smiled at her. "Yeah."

"We really did it." She repeated her words as if unbelieving of their truth.

"Are you sure this is what you wanted? I mean, you know I'd do whatever would make you happy. Marry you officially, live together, be your slave for life."

She chucked at the last. "Hmmm… how come you didn't include that last option when we talked about this?"

"I was afraid you'd take me up on it?" He teased.

"Smart man."

"So what do you want to do now?"

She grinned at that. "I have some ideas, but they'd be better served somewhere that's warm and private."

He laughed. "I think I can accommodate that request. But that wasn't what I meant. Do you want to tell anyone?"

"I want it to just be us for a while. Away from everyone watching us and seeing every little thing we do.  Away from Eyes Only, and Manticore, and Jam Pony. Is that okay?"

"I'm good with whatever you want to do, Max. Keep it private or shout it from the rooftops. Whenever you're ready, we can tell whoever you want to. If you want to make it official we can do that as well. Or not. It won't change what we have."

"No, it won't." Her voice was soft. "And it's probably safer not to have any official records of anything. For you I mean."

"As if I cared about that." He was a bit irritated at the suggestion, she could tell. "It's not like being an underground cyber journalist is all that safe of a profession. Not to mention that the less of a paper trail you leave, the safer it is for you."

"I'm sorry. You're right, it's not about that." She gave in with uncharacteristic ease. They smiled at each other, momentary snappishness quickly forgotten in the wonder of the night.

A sudden gust of wind wrapped around them. She saw the shiver run through Logan's tall frame, despite his heavy jacket.  He reached up to turn up his collar.

"Let's get down from here before you freeze," she said to him.

"Fine by me." He wasn't about to argue that one. He reached for her hand and she gave it to him readily. Fingers linked and a current of warmth flowed between them.

Hand in hand, the two walked up the Needle's sloping surface to the access hatch that led back to the interior, and vanished from sight. The wind swept the now empty surface of the Needle as a lone star peeked out from the scudding clouds above. 

~~Finis~~


End file.
